Department for Transport: Aviation
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2026 to WPQ 120039, what the purpose was of each flight to Chile; which Ministers and senior officials approved each visit; how many officials travelled on each occasion and at what grade; what the cost was of each visit; and whether an assessment was made of whether those engagements could be (a) conducted remotely and (b) combined with other travel.
Answered by Simon Lightwood
The Department for Transport (DfT) has a statutory requirement under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code to monitor port security in the British Overseas Territories.
The visit in 2025 was to deliver security assessments of ISPS port facilities in the Falkland Islands, with the commercial air travel route via Chile. A port security workshop was conducted and meetings were held, including with the Governor’s Office, police and with port security officials.
The visit involved one Senior Executive Officer (SEO).
The total cost of the visit was £14,327.27.
The visit was approved by a Deputy Director (Senior Civil Servant) in DfT’s Transport Security Directorate in line with departmental policy.
The majority of DfT’s port security engagement with the Overseas Territories is undertaken online, however an effective assessment on whether a port is delivering on its security requirements is most effectively completed by an onsite visit.
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